Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell

About Terry Lee Marzell

Terry Lee Marzell holds a bachelor's degree in English from Cal State Fullerton and a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Cal State San Bernardino. She also holds a certificate for Interior Design Level 1 from Mt. San Antonio College. She has been an educator in the Corona Norco Unified School District for more than 30 years.

Sarah Ware Bassett: Kindergarten teacher and writer of young adult novels

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Kindergarten teacher Sarah Ware Bassett of Massachusetts was also a prolific writer of novels for young adults. Photo Credit: Princeton Historical Society

Talented teachers often earn acclaim in fields other than education. One such Chalkboard Champion was Sara Ware Bassett, a kindergarten teacher who worked in the public schools of Newton, Massachusetts. Her career as a teacher spanned 20 years, but during these years, she was also a prolific author of books for young adults.

Sarah was born in 1872 and attended schools in her native town of Newton. Her family spent their summer vacations on Cape Cod. After her high school graduation, she attended the Lowell Institute of Design at MIT, where she majored in textile design. She then studied writing at both Radcliffe and Boston University. In her later years, she divided her time between her homes in Princeton and Cape Cod.

Sarah began her career as an author writing a series of nonfiction books for young adults. The series was entitled The Story of Lumber, The Story of Wool, etc., but it was through fiction that her talent became really evident.  Many of her novels focus on love stories and humorously eccentric characters. She wrote over 40 novels for young people, most with Cape Cod as the setting. Some of her titles are Within the Harbor, Hidden Shoals, and Flood Tides. The novels usually took place in the town of Belleport, a locale which she created that seemed so real to her hundreds of readers that they could not believe it did not really exist. Many readers made pilgrimages up and down the Cape looking for it! Two of her novels were even made into movies. Her very first novel, The Taming of Zenah Henry, became the movie Captain Hurricane when it was released by RKO. The Harbor Road filmed by Universal became Danger Ahead.

During her lifetime, Sarah cut an unusual figure around town, resembling a character in an English detective novel. She dressed as one would expect Agatha Christie’s character Miss Marple would have dressed, sporting tweed skirts, a man’s shirt, and sensible walking shoes. She was often seen around Princeton as she conducted her daily errands at the post office or the general store.

When Sarah passed away in 1968 at the age of 95, she left a legacy of over 500 books of her own writings and those of her contemporaries to the Boston Public Library. The collection is now part of their Rare Books and Manuscripts Collection.

Jackson Davis: He worked tirelessly for African American students

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Jackson Davis worked tirelessly to improve educational opportunities for African Americans here in the United States, and for Africans abroad. Photo Credit: Encyclopedia Virginia

Many Chalkboard Champions work tirelessly on behalf of disenfranchised groups of students. This is certainly true of Jackson Davis, a remarkable educator who devoted his entire 45-year career to improving educational opportunities for African American students here in the United States, and for Africans abroad.

Jackson was born in Cumberland County, Virginia, on Sept. 25, 1882. He attended public schools in Richmond, Virginia. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary in 1902 and his Master’s degree from Columbia University in 1908. In addition, he was awarded an honorary law degree by the University of Richmond in 1930 and another by the College of William and Mary in 1931.

Following graduation from William and Mary, Jackson was employed in a variety of high-profile positions, where he dedicated his talents to improving the lives of students. He became the principal of the public schools of Williamsburg, Virginia. He also served as the Assistant Secretary of the YMCA in Roanoke, Virginia, from 1903 to 1904. During the 1904-1905 school year, he was principal of the public schools of Marion, Virginia, followed by a stint as the Superintendent of Schools in Henrico County, Virginia from 1905 to 1909. The next year, 1909-1910, this hardworking educator served as a member of the State Board of Examiners and Inspectors for the Virginia State Board of Education, and from 1910 to 1915, this forward-thinking individual was the state agent for African-American rural schools for the Virginia State Department of Education.

In 1915, Jackson became affiliated with the General Education Board in New York, New York, as a field agent. Two years later he was transferred to New York City as the board’s general field agent, where he remained until 1929 when he was made the Assistant Director. He became the Associate Director in 1933, and the Vice President and then the Director in 1946. During his many years associated with the General Education Board, Jackson’s work was focussed on education in the Southern states, and he used his influence to improve relations and understanding between White people and African Americans. His pioneering work in promoting regional centers of education in the South tremendously significant.

Throughout his extensive career, Jackson specialized in Southern education, inter-racial problems, and education in the Belgian Congo and Liberia. In 1935 he traveled to Africa as a Carnegie visitor, and in 1944 he went again to that country as the leader of a group sent by the Foreign Missions Conference of North America, the British Conference of Missions, and the Phelps-Stokes Fund. As if all that were not enough, Jackson served as a trustee of the Phelps-Stokes Fund, an organization devoted to African American education and race relations, both in America and in Africa. He became vice president of the fund in 1940, and succeeded Anson Phelps Stokes as president in 1946.

At the time of his death in 1947, Jackson T. Davis was the President of the Board of Trustees of Booker T. Washington Institute in Liberia, the President of the New York State Colonization Society, a member of the Commission on Inter-Racial Cooperation, and of the Advisory Committee on Education in Liberia. He served as a member of the Board of Visitors of the College of William and Mary from 1913 to 1920, and as secretary of the International Education Board from 1923 to 1938. He also frequently contributed articles for publication to educational journals.

This remarkable Chalkboard Champion passed away in Cartersville, Virginia, on April 15, 1947. In 1962, Jackson Davis Elementary School in Henrico County, Virginia, was dedicated in his honor. To read more about him, see this article published on Encyclopedia Virginia.

A visit to Gibraltar offers ample material for classroom studies

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Most teachers would agree that travel, in addition to being fun and intellectually stimulating, is one of the most meaningful learning experiences available for both themselves and their students. And Spring Break is a great opportunity for travel! Recently, I returned from a vacation to Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar. Although I was in Gibraltar for only a few hours, I could see many ways to incorporate the travel experiences I gained there into classroom curriculum.

Author Terry Lee Marzell and her husband, Hal, contemplate the Strait of Gibraltar on a recent visit to the tiny British territory. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Geography teachers would probably point out that Gibraltar, which is officially designated a British Overseas Territory, is located at the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, just south of Spain, and is dominated by a huge limestone outcrop known as Calpe Mons—also known as the Rock of Gibraltar. History teachers would note that Calpe Mons is dotted by many caves which were inhabited by humans in prehistoric times. The territory was first settled by Moors in the Middle Ages and was later ruled by Spain. Spain ceded possession of the area to the British by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. This tiny territory is only 2.25 square miles, but it is called home by approximately 32,000 residents, and that’s not counting a robust population of Barbary apes! Through the narrow Strait of Gibraltar, the territory furnishes a connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

If you are exploring a unit on mythology with your students, you might want to share some information about the influence of Gibraltar in Greek mythology. In ancient times, Gibraltar was a source of great mystery and legend. In fact, the ancient Greeks and Romans believed the area to be the location of one of the Pillars of Hercules. Greek legend advanced the notion that, while completing his twelve labors, the mighty strongman created the Strait of Gibraltar by smashing through nearby Atlas mountain. In antiquity, sailors were warned not to sail beyond the landmark, as to do so would surely result in falling off the flat edge of the earth and result in death.

A spectacular display of stalactites and stalagmites brilliantly lit by colored lights can be seen during a visit of Gibraltar’s Saint Michael’s Cave. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

When taking a tour of Gibraltar, travelers almost invariably include a visit Saint Michael’s Cave. The name of this cavern derives from a similar grotto located in Italy where legend has it that the archangel Michael appeared. Saint Michael’s Cave was created through the gradual seeping of rainwater through the limestone rock, which turned the water into a weak carbonic acid that gradually dissolved the rock. The result is that, over thousands of years, the original geological fault grew into long passages and more than 150 large caverns that feature vaulted ceilings. In addition, a spectacular display of stalactites and stalagmites were formed during this process, and which today have been brilliantly lit by a stunning display of colored lights. A study of all of these natural formations would make a wonderful unit for science teachers who are leading their students, both elementary and secondary, in a study of geological formations.

Any visit to Saint Michael’s Cave will invariably put the traveler in contact with the territory’s Barbary apes. Science teachers will enjoy helping students learn all about why these so-called apes are not apes at all! In actual fact, they belong to a species of monkey called macaques. Learning activities can involved discovering the differences between apes and monkeys, and the habitat, diet, and history of the particular species that live on Gibraltar.

A species of macaques live on Gibraltar, and a study of these primates would make a great science lesson for students. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Part of the mythology surrounding these primates posits that if the macaques ever disappear from Gibraltar, then the British will also leave the territory. In response to this myth, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill became concerned with the diminishing numbers of Gibraltar’s macaques during World War II. To increase their numbers, he arranged for additional macaques to be imported into Gibraltar from Morocco and Algeria. Gibraltar’s macaques are provided with food and medical care by Britain’s Department of the Environment, but still the gluttonous primates will look for something to eat from curious tourists. Sometimes the monkeys become a little bit overly aggressive!

Naturally, only a very small number of teachers are able to take their students on a field trip to Gibraltar, although many would love to organize such a wonderful field trip! Nevertheless, students can still study many aspects of this tourist attraction online. To share more information about the geography and history of Gibraltar with your students, click on this link to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Additional information about the territory of Gibraltar can be found at Visit Gibraltar. More information about the Barbary macaques can be found at Animalia Biography. Enjoy!

 

Reflections on Spanish literature stimulated by tour of Spain

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Spring break is prime time for teachers—and students—to incorporate travel into their vacation plans. Many people, both young and mature, know that travel, in addition to being fun and intellectually stimulating, is one of the most meaningful learning opportunities available. Last month, I was able to enjoy the fun, stimulation, and learning opportunities to be gained from a tour of Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar.

Terry Lee Marzell contemplates the monument dedicated to Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes located in the Plaza de Espana in Madrid, Spain. Photo credit: Hal Marzell

While touring the Iberian peninsula, I was able to reflect on the numerous contributions of Spanish authors to the canon of world literature. For example, Don Quixote, written by celebrated author Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra and published in the early 17th century, has always been one of my favorite works of literature. I’m not alone in my appreciation, as this novel is one of the most-often translated books in the world, and it’s one of the best-selling novels of all time.

While in Madrid, we stumbled across a monument dedicated to Cervantes and his epic novel which has been erected in the city’s Plaza de Espana. The monument is comprised of several figures. Prominently displayed near the base of the memorial is the author himself. Beneath his seated figure are the mounted figures of his two most famous characters, the appealingly delusional Don Quixote de La Mancha, and his trusted sidekick, the humble farmer Sancho Panza. The fictional peasant girl Dulcinea is also represented. In addition, the memorial offers a personified depiction of the entire collection of Spanish literature, dressed in 17th-century clothing and holding a book in his right hand. And finally, the monument also displays the five major continents, all of them reading the works of Cervantes. This depiction is intended to represent the universality of the author’s novels. This monument is a memorial that any teacher of English, World Literature, or Spanish language courses would surely appreciate.

Statue of Spain’s most celebrated national hero Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, also known as El Cid, located in Seville, Spain. Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons

But Don Quixote is not the only Spanish character that came to mind in my travels through Spain. While visiting the city of Seville in the region of Valencia, I was reminded of the legendary tales of the 12th-century knight known as El Cid. This historical figure, whose real name was Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, became well known during his lifetime for his military service in the armies of both Christian and Muslim rulers. Today, he is recognized as Spain’s most celebrated national hero. El Cid is the protagonist of the most significant medieval epic poem written in the Spanish language, El Cantar de Mio Cid. In this work, Rodrigo de Vivar is portrayed as embodying all the qualities of the ideal medieval knight: strength, courage, generosity, loyalty, chivalry, and piety. The poem is read all over the world, in versions for both adults and children. Before I retired from the teaching profession, I enjoyed sharing these entertaining tales with my World Literature students for many years.

You and  your students can examine a free ebook version of Don Quixote at this link: Project Gutenberg. Biographical information about Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar can be viewed online at Encyclopedia Britannica. To read El Cantar de Mio Cid in English, click on noorbook.com. To read the book in modern Spanish, click on caminodelcid.org.